ITX Build featuring a GTX 590, roughly $2K budget

wrathchild_67 said:
A Geforce 590 and modular PSU (of any size) will fit inside a Lian Li PC-Q08 when using the PSU extension bracket. I know because I'm using this setup for my system, minus the 590. My Corsair AX750 PSU did fit in the case without using the PSU extension bracket, but it was so tight that I opted for the bracket. I do know the length of the 590 is just under the maximum length the case supports. A Radeon 6990, which is slightly longer, might fit too, but it might require replacing the front 140mm fan with a thinner model.
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Hmm, very nice case . . . but quite large for m-ITX, isn't it? :cool:
 
Modred189 said:
I feel your pain. It took me forever to get my act together and make a decision. The one thing I am glad I did was get an SSD. HUGE improvement.

The one thing I would be careful of is MSI's UEFIs. On mine at least, and I assume they are all similar, it is NOT well laid out at all, and unlike asus UEFIs, doesn't really support a mouse. Yea, you can select a major option group with the mouse, but once you do, it's all back to /\, \/, >, < and enter. It's a FANTASTIC board, don't get me wrong, but I'd almost prefer a BIOS ui before a hybrid like this one.
That said, overclocking can be done from w/in the OS, so I have nto spent much time there since initially setting up the machine.
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Gotcha. Thanks!
 
TheQuestian said:
Hmm, very nice case . . . but quite large for m-ITX, isn't it? :cool:
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If you look at the specs for the Silverstone SG01 (the only other case that can handle large cards), the PC-Q08 is actually smaller overall. The SG01 is nearly two inches longer. Width and height are nearly equal between the two.
 
Heh, the case I started this thread about (the SG07) has been proven to hold a GTX 590, and is spec'd to hold cards up to 12.2" long. It is also smaller than the Q08 by a considerable margin.
 
wrathchild_67 said:
If you look at the specs for the Silverstone SG01 (the only other case that can handle large cards), the PC-Q08 is actually smaller overall. The SG01 is nearly two inches longer. Width and height are nearly equal between the two.
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You're comparing a microATX case with a mini ITX case - two more slots and a motherboard twice the size - of course it's smaller.

Lian Lis tend to run big for what they are.
 
Necere said:
Are you sure that PSU will fit? The stock SG07 PSU is 140mm long, while the ST75F-P is 160mm (though, confusingly, Silverstone has diagrams showing two different sizes on their site). I think you'd probably be okay with the stock PSU.
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Thanks for the heads up, Necere. I kept coming back to your post and looking back at the measurements. I must have had depth and width mixed up, because I'm realizing that ST75F is too large, after all. :(

It appears as if the only modular PSU that will fit the SG07 is the ST50F, which is not really enough for what I need (in terms of power or reliability). I looked at a handful of other cases (the PC-Q08, PC-Q11, SG05), and I am always faced with the same dilemma: it will fit a standard modular PSU, but not the 590 (PC-Q11), it will fit the 590, but cannot accomodate the PSU (SG07), or a little of each (SG05). Haha. Otherwise, it's either mATX, or just too large.

So, I have to decide, now, whether I want to just go freaking small, and stick with an SG05 and maybe a GTX 570, or deal with the stock PSU on the SG07 and little more size. I'm realizing that my dissatisfaction with the PSU situation in both cases is probably going to drive me to shorten and sleeve the entire power supply. If I do that, and I can be satisfied with the look and length of the PSU, I'll just have to decide whether I want slightly larger and WAY more powerful, or significantly smaller, and still quite potent.

Anyone else had to make this call, recently? Also, if anyone has good hands-on info regarding other factors (CPU heatsinks, temperatures, actual real-world size difference between the two cases, etc.) that would be a big help. And while we're on the topic, what of Corsair's newer all-in-one liquid systems (H60, H70)?
 
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jamaicanpi said:
I think your build is a bit overkill. Maybe it's not, but you didn't say a whole lot about your needs other than 1920x1200 and high fps. I think for the resolution your driving, you could save a lot of money and put it towards your eventual surround set-up or other fun items.
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I know I already sorta answered this, but I just wanted to add a little more real-world info. Today was a perfect example of why I am looking to go with a GTX 590. I recently found out about the jericho.exe work-around for forcing AA into Mafia II. I hadn't been able to really get into it before, because I am so nit-picky about aliasing. That said, I was overjoyed to find that forcing AA worked beautifully with the mini-mod, and the game looked glorious. Of course, now, as I'm sure you've all surmised, I want to force crazy amounts of AA (tragically, I do notice the difference), and the frames have dropped from around 55+ to around 25+, hehe. No good at all.

Same basic deal with Crysis 2, although it had to do with applying the DX11 update. With everything maxed, I can get around 40+ frames, but there are huge dips into the 20's and 10's (firing into water, etc.) that just take me out of the experience. This is the kind of thing that I often run into, and it makes me insane. Haha. But then again, maybe I was insane already. :D
 
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I've seen some really awesome sleeving/cable management with the SG07, but not as much with the SG05. Anyone got a link?
 
Machupo said:
I don't know much about sleeving, but love me some cable management :p
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Man, I know the feeling. My cabling was nothing special, but it had to be NEAT. :D

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I'm taking it stages, tho. My next build will have a fully sleeved PSU, including the 24-pin, and I want to learn about shortening/cutting out leads for custom builds.

I really want to do watercooling, too, but I don't mind building a giant monster for that. After that, maybe a custom window, if I can get the PROPER tools. I really just want to see how neat and professional I can be with cabling right now. Reading a lot of tutorials, etc. Man, I am completely addicted to gaming rigs.
 
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your budget is 2k?
I found this last week, although his gpu is far better than what i have planned for my htpc, i think i have him trumped in the cpu and ssd (im using a 2600k and patriot wildfire 120gb).

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z8Q6n5C_wA"]&#x202a;Ultimate Gaming Mini ITX 2011&#x202c;&rlm; - YouTube[/ame]

hope thats helps, i skimmed through your thread, are you still building a m-itx rig or did you settle with the antec p180?
 
chimera996 said:
your budget is 2k?
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Roughly, yeah, before the LCD. It's flexible, but I just didn't want the budget to limit anyone's creativity. :)

I found this last week, although his gpu is far better than what i have planned for my htpc, i think i have him trumped in the cpu and ssd (im using a 2600k and patriot wildfire 120gb).
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That's a pretty nice build, a little messy with the cables, but definitely powerful. I did look at the PC-Q08, but it's just giant compared to the SG05. It almost looks like an m-ATX case, to me. I think I'm still waffling between the Q11 and the SG05, unless there's something else comparably sized out there that I'm missing.

hope thats helps, i skimmed through your thread, are you still building a m-itx rig or did you settle with the antec p180?
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Heh, the Mini P180 is my current rig, and I was just showing that to emphasize my point about neat cabling. I want to improve on my next build, including sleeving, etc. Not interested in m-ATX, again, tho. Definitely want to have a go with m-ITX, first.

I've got another project planned for a Surround system, tho, involving three 580's (or two 590's) in a watercooled FT02. But that's a much bigger budget, and that will be later.
 
I never understood the point of sleeving individual wires... just creates a larger cross section to snag air. Why not just replace the color of the wire (i.e. make all the wires 24ga black), it might make life difficult if anything ever comes apart, but it'd fulfill the same artistic purpose.
 
Machupo said:
I never understood the point of sleeving individual wires... just creates a larger cross section to snag air. Why not just replace the color of the wire (i.e. make all the wires 24ga black), it might make life difficult if anything ever comes apart, but it'd fulfill the same artistic purpose.
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It's beautiful. :D

Heh, it looks much tidier and more organized than the fat and bulky sleeving that comes stock. I'm sure it's just a matter of taste, but it makes for a very impressive-looking final product, in my opinion. Plus it's nice if you have cables to shorten and re-solder, to maintain a clean, uniform look.

But not for everyone, to be sure. :)
 
no, i completely understand sleeving for multiple wires, but for individual ones? You could just as easily change out the wires color itself to maintain uniformity and have better airflow.

Oh well, I never understood supra body kits and exhaust dumps on NA engines either ;)
 
I'd copy my build and just put a 590 in there. I had the SG07 and tbh its not that much smaller in person. Just my opinion.
 
Huh. Maybe I should just go with the SG05 and a GTX570, then. If the SG07 is similar in size to the PC-Q08, that's too big.
 
TheQuestian said:
Huh. Maybe I should just go with the SG05 and a GTX570, then. If the SG07 is similar in size to the PC-Q08, that's too big.
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The q08 is actually a lot larger than the sg07. The cases seem similar in size because their overall desk footprint is about the same, but the sg07 is significantly shorter.

Volumes:
--q08 - 227 mm (w) x 272 mm (h) x 345 mm (d) = 21.3 L
sg07 - 222 mm (w) x 190 mm (h) x 350 mm (d) = 14.8 L
sg05 - 222 mm (w) x 176 mm (h) x 276 mm (d) = 10.8 L

Footprints:
--q08 - 783 cm^2
sg07 - 777 cm^2
sg05 - 612 cm^2
 
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TheQuestian said:
Huh. Maybe I should just go with the SG05 and a GTX570, then. If the SG07 is similar in size to the PC-Q08, that's too big.
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There were pics posted comparing the two in the Q08 or SG05 thread somewhere. But what I meant was the the Q08 was just taller and a tad fatter so the footprint was around the same.

You should really go buy some tape and break down a cardboard box from some city trash can or something and build a mock case with the dimensions. I had a very tight space to work with and when comparing the them I noticed height was not a concern just the footprint size.

This is not my build but just to give you an idea.

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